New Law in Massachusetts Raises Tobacco Purchasing Age

A small town in Massachusetts just made it harder for folks to buy tobacco products.

Canton, Massachusetts recently raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21 and a lot of people aren’t too happy. According to the Boston Globe, the new plan will affect all tobacco products including cigars. Electronic cigarettes managed to escape the ban as they were determined to actually help people who are trying to quit smoking real cigarettes.

The regulation begins January 1st 2014 and could really harm small, local businesses. “While this community may decide that they’re going to implement this, other communities may not and you create an economic disadvantage for small businesses here in this town,” Steve Ryan, executive director of the New England Convenience Store Association, told the Patriot Ledger.

Another small business owner in Massachusetts, Dave Garofalo, moved his business to New Hampshire because of anti-tobacco laws and taxes in the state. “Over the years in Canton, Mass. just five elected statesman, who control the city, and non-elected members of the board of health have brought it upon themselves to push aside all state and federal laws,” said Garofalo, owner of Two Guys Smoke Shop.

Other critics think the law will punish innocent, legal aged smokers and claim that if you’re old enough to vote, you should be old enough to smoke. Let us know what you think on the new tobacco law!